The Good Witches
by mybrowneyes
Summary: Tank, Bobby, and Lester tell Sophia, Ranger and Stephanie's daughter, a bed time story.
1. Chapter 1

Just borrowing

**_The Good Witches_**

Tank, Bobby, and Lester were sitting in the living room waiting for Ranger to finish up a telephone call with a new client. Stephanie was at a girl's night out with Lula and Connie. They were meeting up with Tia and Chrissie, Bobby and Lester's girlfriends, at 'Hot Shots'.

Sophie came walking into the room wearing her Cinderella nightgown, "Where's Daddy? He has to tell me a bedtime story."

Tank patted his lap and the little girl crawled up with her teddy bear, "He's on a business call. What if your uncles tell you a story until he comes back?"

"Me, Uncle Bobby, and Uncle Tank can do that." Lester added. "What kind of story do you want?"

A furrow in her little brow and blue eyes staring intently out the window as she thought. "One where the Good Witch beats up the Bad Witch like Mommy beat up that mean Joyce lady."

The Merry Men all chuckling. They heard about Stephanie's encounter with Joyce at the mall resulting with her nemisis breaking her nose when her face made contact with the hood of her new Jeep and denting it.

"OK. We like those kind," Bobby said. "Once upon a time."

"In Trenton," Sophie told them.

Tank continued, "There lived the very beautiful Good Witch named Stephanie with her Wizard husband."

"His name was Carlos just like Daddy."

"We can work with that," Lester took a turn in the story telling. "They had the cutest little Witch in training named Sophia. She had blue eyes and curls like Good Witch Stephanie. She took after her Mommy, not into any crazy Army Wizard stuff like her Dad."

"He was the strongest Wizard just like Daddy with muscles that don't stop like Mommy says, Uncle Lester."

"Whatever. Let's get back to our story. One day, Good Witches Stephanie and Sophie got out their flying brooms to go shopping."

"They went to Victoria's Secret because that's Daddy's favorite store and to buy shoes and secret potions."

"Does daddy wear that frilly stuff?" Tank asked.

The little girl thought about it, "No, Mommy wears it for him. He just takes it off."

That got another laugh out of the three Army buddies.

"At the Witch's mall, the good witches came upon the evil, nasty, and ugly Bad Witch Joyce," Bobby took a turn. "She was so ugly, she had an extra eyeball in her forehead and deep wrinkles in her skin," he ran his long hand over his face. "She looked old and haggard. Little children ran at the sight of her."

"Her skin was purple," Sophie explained.

"That's right," Tank spoke up, "from too many visits to the Plastic Surgeon for the Witches, Vinnie. While in the potions store, the Bad Witch Joyce came in."

"Stephanie and Sophie were already at Victoria's Secrets. The Good Witch bought a new nightie and magic undies for Wizard Carlos to make him dance all around in the bedroom," waving her hands in the air and hopping in Tank's lap. "The little witch got new shoes."

"Uh Huh," Lester looked at Tank and Bobby.

Tank shook his head not sure he wanted ro know, "We won't go there as to why Ranger is dancing around the bedroom. Any way, Bad Witch Joyce sees them looking at potions for chicken to cook for dinner. She said to Good Witch Stephanie, "Watch out!"

"I'm going to steal your husband! I'm a real woman!" Sophie yelled. "Try it, you Ugly No-Good Witch!" Good Witch Stephanie screamed back. She grabbed her frizzy red hair and banged her face off the big, black smoking witch's cauldron breaking her nose," Sophie grabbed a pillow from the sofa and hit the coffee table with it, the popcorn bowl went flying onto the carpet, "Her nose broke right off her face."

"Picking up her nose, Bad Witch Joyce went straight to Dr. Vinnie to fix it," Uncle Bobby said.

Sophie told them, "He gave her a new nose with a great big ugly green wart that dragged on the floor when she walked and couldn't come out of her house anymore."

Tank finished off the story, "Good Witches Stephanie and Sophie flew home on their magic brooms."

Sophie twirled around, "They were fast like Porsches."

"And lived happily ever after with Wizard Carlos," Tank ended the story.

"And he liked what Good Witch Mommy bought at Victoria's Secret just like Daddy."

Lester was laughing, "So much he was dancing in his magic boxers."

"What is going on in here?" Ranger walked in at the end of the story. Popcorn was all over the carpet, pillows on the floor.

Holding up her arms for Ranger, "Uncle Tank, Uncle Bobby,and Uncle Lester were telling me a bedtime story while you was talking."

"It looks like I need to clean-up in here."

"Ranger," Tank asked with a sly smile on his face, "why don't you tell us a story about the magical underwear that makes you dance around in the bedroom?"

Ranger groaning, "We're going to start locking the door."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Good Witches Stephanie and Sophia **_

_**Save Wizard Carlos**_

_**Week 44 Challenge**_

Tank, Bobby, and Lester were at Ranger and Stephanie's house to go to the Trenton Haunted Mansion with the happy couple and Sophie, their little girl. The girlfriends, Lula, Tia, and Chrissie, were meeting the group there after shopping.

"Mommy and Daddy aren't ready yet. Uncle Tank, can you and Uncles Bobby and Lester tell me another story about the good witches," blue eyes twinkling looking up at the three ex-Army men.

"We got time," Lester agreed sitting down in the wing chair in the living room. "Once upon a time," he began.

Sophia added, "In Trenton, you know."

"Good Witches Stephanie and Sophia were getting ready for their favorite day."

Sophie threw her arms in the air, "Halloween! With the musclely Wizard Carlos, who looks just like my Daddy, Uncle Lester."

"What ever."

"Good Witches Stephanie and Sophia," Bobby interrupted, "were searching all over Trenton for the Wizard, but he was no where to be found. He was lost. They looked in every house and building except one."

"The **spooky, haunted** house where Bad Witch Joyce lived in the **dark** forest. She was ugly with purple skin and a big wart on her nose," the little girl pointed to Lester's nose.

Now Tank took a try. "Stephanie and Sophia flew carefully through the **eerie** woods as quiet as could be," he said softly. "Looking through a dirty, broken window, they spotted the Wizard's keys with tiny photos of his beloved Witches Stephanie and Sophia."

"Wizard Carlos drove a flying Porsche," Sophie's blue eyes lit up thinking about her Daddy

"Silently, they entered the creepy house," Lester was back to story telling, "flying through the endless **maze** of hallways searching for the Wizard. When, finally they heard the hideous, **ghastly**, hissing voice of Bad Witch Joyce. In a high pitched cackle, "To save yourself, tell me where."

"Your magic dancing undies are," Sophia yelled.

The ex-Army men chuckled. Ranger always changed the subject when his friends questioned him about his dancing antics in the bedroom. Maybe they would finally find out.

"Never! The wizard growled at Witch Joyce," Bobby continued.

Sophie told, "Uncle Bobby, those were a present from his Good Witch Stephanie."

Lester's eyebrows twitched up, "Really! Now, we're getting somewhere about that magic underwear."

""We must save Daddy" Good Witch Stephanie said to her daughter. "If we don't make it to the Witches' fire before the **clock **strikes midnight, we'll lose our powers." The Wizard was locked in cage of electric eels and **flashing** eyeballs suspended above a pit of hungry gargoyles" Bobby was describing.

"The **clock** chimed. They only had eleven more chimes before their powers would be lost," Tank grabbed Sophie as he crouched around the room.

"Ahhhh!" Sophia shrieked. "Good Witches Stephanie and Sophia charged in and whacked Bad Witch Joyce with their flying brooms knocking her warty nose off her ugly face. Little Witch Sophia beat her to the ground while Witch Stephanie freed Wizard Carlos."

"The **clock** rang two. Stephanie and Carlos looked at each other and began to chant reaching out their fingers toward Bad Witch Joyce 'With the powers of three' as Sophia joined them," Tank was still making up the story.

Sophia jumped down and spun around, "You will be an ugly tree! Even the squirrels won't like you!"

Lester was finishing, "That works. Stephanie said to Carlos me must get to the renewing firing before the **Witching hour**."

"To the flying Porsche! Wizard Carlos yelled. He snapped his fingers," Sophie snapped hers, "and they were at the fire to get new powers!"

"And they lived happily ever after," Lester ended the story.

"Yeah, Uncle Lester," Sophia twirled around, "Wizard Carlos was so happy to be home, he wore his magic elephant undies and danced for Good Witch Stephanie so it squeaked after little Witch Sophia went to bed."

Lester was jumping with joy, "Know we know! Ranger has Elephant underwear!"

"Know what, Santos?"

All three Rangemen appeared to be Cheshire cats.

"Your elephant undies Sophia told us about," Tank said for them

His daughter said proudly, "And it squeaks. Don't forget that!"

Stephanie was blushing and hid her face in her husband's shoulder.

"We really have to remember to lock the bedroom door, Babe."

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**Ranger's dancing undies: http: // www abcunderwear/elephant-thongs html********.**


	3. Chapter 3

Just borrowing unharmed.

I changed the last chapter perspective to Stephanie's. Some reviews questioned how Ranger, Stephanie, and Sophia came to be, so to tie into a rambling I started from seeing old battered children's wooden blocks in an antique store, this is a lead in to the beginning of "Crossroads and Building Blocks".

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_**The Good Witches**_

_**Part 3**_

Strong muscled arms were cradling our little sleeping bundle of curls to her room wore out from the Halloween **haunted** house tonight. I had her Batgirl nightgown out to change our daughter into before tucking Sophie in her bed. She dragged her father through the corn **maze **and shrieked the entire way through **spooky **house. Lester got stuck in the room of mirrors with **flashing **lights and Tank went back in after him. The Merrymen and Sophie were in their **candy** treat bags before getting into the Rangeman SUV's to leave. My husband just gave them that "Oh, so sexy" Cuban eyebrow

"Good night, Sophie," I kissed my daughter and tucked her favorite giraffe beside her.

Ranger leaned in and whispered his usual endearment, "Dulces sueños, mi niña", his lips touching her dark curls. (Sweet dreams, my little girl).

Stirring and looking at her muscely Daddy with sleepy eyes, "Don't forget, Daddy, its tea party day tomorrow," reminding him again. Each Saturday we set aside time for an afternoon tea with her after our always busy work week. No matter what Ranger was doing, he always stopped and had tea with us.

"I remember, Sophie."

We just stood for a moment in each other's arms watching our little girl sleep before going across the hall to our bedroom.

Chuckling as he closed the door, "Should I lock it, Babe?" Referring to Sophie's dancing undies comment from earlier in the evening. Tank, Bobby, and Lester would have field day teasing Ranger about the elephant thong I bought him as a funny present. I love the jungle man! What can I say!

I glanced back at my gorgeous husband, "Why? You taught her after her fourth birthday to pick a lock."

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Sophie came running towards the kitchen. I could tell she had on her little black Mary Jane's by the sound echoing on the wooden floor coming from the hallway dressed for her tea party. Smiling to myself as she came to check on the preparations for the afternoon get-together. She had me tie her dark curls on top of her head with a pink ribbon to match her pink sweater and socks to go with the flowered skirt. While Ranger was almost always in black, Sophia went to the almost opposite end of the color spectrum in pink.

"Mommy, can I set out the pretty plates?" Sophie asked from the doorway.

It was a cool autumn day so no tea on the stone patio. Today, we would have it in our glass breakfast nook in the big kitchen. I turned on the electric fireplace to take off the chill and warm the brick floor in the old Colonial kitchen. Antique dessert plates and teacups with flowers were set on the table for my little girl to put out at the three place settings, some Saturdays it was four if Daddy or Tank stopped by to enjoy our Saturday afternoon ritual. I watched as she carefully folded the lacey paper napkins by each plate and set a silver fork on it. I walked over in my bare feet feeling the warmth of the stone radiating from the old stone fireplace with a plate of quartered peanut butter and jelly and turkey sandwiches. Sliced apples and strawberries on another and homemade sugar cookies my daughter and Mom had made already on the round wooden table with its old vintage table cloth with it's pattern of pink and red roses and ripe strawberries I found in vintage store.

When I grabbed the teapot off the breakfast bar, my little girl went running back down the hallway in the direction of Ranger's office calling "Daddy, time for tea!"

It amazed me at first when Sophia and I began having our tea parties on the patio after we moved into our old stone Colonial house, Ranger put down his reports and joined us as our little girl just barely two tugged at his large hand to come. "Tea", telling him and we have made this a Saturday afternoon family get-together ever since.

Holding hands as they made there way to the table, my sexy Cuban husband in his faded jeans and blue sweatshirt held out Sophie's chair then mine, and taking his seat.

"Bless this tea party," Sophie smiled at us. Gingerly, taking two of her favorite sandwiches and placing them on her plate and handing it to Ranger. "Sandwich, Daddy?"

The damn Cuban eyebrow was up as he took a small quarter of turkey sandwich and one of peanut butter and jelly. Smirking with his small smile, "Thank you, Miss Sophie," and passed the flowered dish to me, "Babe?"

Eating our little lunch, my husband held my hand. He knew the thoughts going though my head as I looked at the old stone fireplace. Beside it, resting against the wall, was an old three pronged wooden what looked to be a pitch fork and the worn child's blocks stacked in a pyramid on the mantle. The top block has an 'S' for Stephanie. The next row, two 'S's For myself and Sophia. The third read 'R', 'S', and 'S' for Ricardo or Ranger, Stephanie, and Sophia. All sat on blocks spelling out 'M-A-N-O-S-O'. The pitch fork reminded me of the path I chose a number of years ago and the blocks the pieces we built together to get to here. Just as sitting on the antique desk in Ranger's office, two wooden blocks. His first recollection from the hospital when he was injured that his daughter existed in his world along with our pictures.

My crossroads and our building blocks. But, that's another story that led us to our someday. Right now, I'm enjoying afternoon tea with the husband and daughter I love more than anything in this wonderful life we have.

The End.


End file.
